


Precious

by MorganaNK



Category: Inspector Lynley - All Media Types, Inspector Lynley Mysteries (TV)
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-14
Updated: 2017-03-19
Packaged: 2018-10-05 04:17:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10297322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MorganaNK/pseuds/MorganaNK
Summary: Barbara falls apart when someone threatens the one person in her life she couldn't live without





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Property of Elizabeth George and the BBC, no copyright infringement intended

The envelope had been on my doormat when I had woken, obviously hand delivered as there was no stamp or frank mark. I opened it carefully, not recognising the writing. Unfolding the single sheet of paper the envelope had contained, I began to read.

_You took something precious from me  
Now is the time for you to repay that debt_

I read the note again. It didn’t make any sense, and I wondered if it was a joke, it was just the kind of prank that Winston or Stuart would pull. Yes, that had to be it. Shaking my head at their childishness, I headed for the bathroom to get ready for work.

~*~

I stood and watched until the taillights of the Bristol disappeared before opening the door to my flat. As I stepped inside and switched on the light I saw another envelope on the mat. I snatched it up, closing and locking the door behind me before dumping my coat and bag on the kitchen table.

I opened the envelope, which once again contained a single sheet of paper.

_I know how it feels to lose something important  
Soon you will too_

I ran my fingers through my hair, deep in thought. Perhaps I was wrong about this being a joke, but even if I was I didn’t have much of anything to go on. Maybe someone was trying to scare me; well they’d have to try harder. Tossing the note onto the table with the one from the morning, I made my way to bed.

~*~

The next morning there was another envelope waiting for me. Another single sheet of paper.

_Today’s the day his blood will run  
What will you do when he’s gone_

I felt as if someone had walked over my grave. There could be no doubt as to who they were referring to, there was only one he in my life, one important one anyway. Tommy.

My gut churned and I knew I was going to be sick. Pressing my hand over my mouth I ran to the bathroom, falling to my knees in front of the toilet. I retched until there was nothing more for me to bring up but stomach acid. I slumped over on the floor, my arms wrapped around my middle, tears streaming down my face. 

~*~

I hammered on Barbara’s door, irritated that she hadn’t been outside waiting for me. We had to be at the station in an hour to go over some paperwork with the CPS, and I had wanted to be in good time to make sure all the i’s were dotted and the t’s crossed.

I knocked again, and again there was no response. I felt in my pocket for my keys, pulling them out and selecting the one that unlocked Barbara’s door.

“Barbara, it’s Tommy. We need to be going.”

I was about to call out again when I heard something. I made my way towards the sound, stopping outside the bathroom. The door was ajar but I could hear crying. Deciding to face the wrath of Barbara, I pushed open the door and entered the room. Seeing her on the floor, sobbing loudly and seemingly in pain, I rushed to her side, wrapping my arms around her and pulling her onto my lap.

“Barbara? God, what’s happened? What’s wrong? Talk to me?”

She moaned again, her whole body shaking. I decided to move her to her bed, she would be more comfortable there. Lifting her, I carried her carefully into her bedroom. I tried to put her down but she clung to me, my shirt balled tightly in her fists, so I sat on the edge of her bed and continued to cradle her.

“Shush Barbara, I’m here. Whatever this is, I’ll help you. Together we can solve anything.”

She let go of her death grip on my shirt, surprising me when she began to undo the buttons, but before I could question the action she surprised me even more, sliding her hand under the material until it lay on my chest above my heart.

I kissed the top of her head, before resting my chin against her hair. I was shocked at how good it felt to have her touching me. “What’s going on Barbara?”

“I can’t lose you, I can’t. I wouldn't survive it.”

“I don’t understand; why do you think you’re going to lose me? I’m not going anywhere.”

“They told me, told me to say goodbye to you, said that today was the day. Got to keep you safe.”

She wasn’t making any sense, but whatever had happened I knew that it had to be serious. Barbara wasn’t the type of person to fall apart over nothing, and she really had fallen apart.

“You need to tell me what is going on; explain this to me, help me understand.”

Barbara stood, but then stumbled almost immediately. I caught her, holding her up against me.

“Where do you need to go?”

She struggled feebly in my arms, but there was no real fight to her actions. Barbara was obviously in shock, and I was becoming increasingly worried.

“Kitchen, need to show you, need to make you understand.”

I let her lean on me, using my strength, and slowly we made our way to her kitchen. I helped her sit in a chair by the table, sitting beside her. She reached across the surface, her hands shaking, and gathered a small bundle of papers together, pressing them into my hands. I briefly glanced through them, before placing them back on the table.

“Where did you get these?”

She drew a deep breath, and I could see that it was taking all her willpower not to crumble in front of me.

“The first two yesterday, the last one about an hour ago. When I read the first one, I thought it was a joke, the second I thought was trying to scare me, the last…” her voice hitched and she reached out and grabbed hold of my hand, squeezing it almost painfully.

“Nothing is going to happen to me Barbara, you don’t need to be scared for me.”

“You can’t know that. There’s no way that you can know that.”

“Why is this upsetting you so much? You’re not the type of person who lets things get to her like this.”

She pulled her hand from mine, breathing heavily, and stood. She wobbled unsteadily, bracing herself against the table. I got up and wrapped my arms around her again, her back against my chest.

“You don’t understand, do you? You have no idea. That’s my fault, I made sure that you never suspected, couldn’t take the risk, but someone knew, someone knows.”

I was getting increasingly frustrated as Barbara kept talking in riddles. I wanted to help her, I wanted to understand, but nothing she was saying made sense.

“Barbara, I haven’t a clue what you are talking about.”

“I’M IN LOVE WITH YOU!”

She slumped in my arms, her voice hoarse from crying, her breathing even more erratic than before. I took all her weight, sitting back down in the chair, pulling her onto my lap. She turned in my embrace, lifting a trembling hand to my face, tracing it with her fingers.

“I’m in love with you. You’re, you, you mean, god Tommy you are my world. Without you, I have nothing, I am nothing. There is no me without you.”

“You’re in love with me? Why didn’t you tell me? Why have you never said anything?”

“I did, before Helen came back, and I thought you felt the same way, then you got arrested, and Helen returned so I packed my feelings away. When she died, I became who you needed me to be; your friend, your confidant, and sometimes an intrusive pest. I know now that you don’t have those feelings for me, but I’ve never stopped loving you, and I never will.”

I tightened my embrace, everything suddenly becoming crystal clear.

“I do love you Barbara, I have done for the longest time, but I believed that I had too much baggage for you to ever want to be romantically involved with me. You dislike my Lord Asherton side, and everything that goes with it. I didn’t want to put you under pressure; you mean too much to me to do that to you.”

Her hand had crept inside my shirt again, her palm resting above my heart. “You have to take this seriously Tommy; please, for me.”

I cradled her tear stained face in my hands and gently kissed her, relieved when she kissed me back.

“We’ll ring Hillier, tell him what’s going on, take his advice.”

“And you’ll stay here, with me?”

“Yes, if that will reassure you.”

“It would, thank you.”

“Then I’ll stay.”


	2. Chapter 2

I felt embarrassed and humiliated on so many levels, crying and begging Tommy, and kissing him, especially after I had spent a good twenty minutes throwing up not long before; he must have been disgusted. Still, I had managed to convince him to stay. He was safe, for now.

I pulled away from his welcoming arms. “I’m going to,” I looked down at my pyjamas, my embarrassment cranking up a notch, “go and sort myself out, I’m a mess, sorry.”

He hooked a finger under my chin, lifting my head so that he could look me in the eye.

“Don’t apologise Barbara, because I don’t regret anything, except that you were so distressed; I hate to see you in pain. We’ve finally been honest, admitted things to each other that we probably wouldn’t have in any other circumstance, and I can never see that as anything other than positive. Now, if it will make you feel better, go and sort yourself out as you put it. I’ll call Hillier; and I won’t move from this spot until you return.”

I smiled shakily at him, “thanks.”

I turned on the shower, letting it run while I undressed and cleaned my teeth. Finally, I stood under the scalding spray, letting it cleanse and warm my body. I kept it brief, wanting to get back to Tommy, we had things to sort out.

I wandered back into the kitchen to find the man in question making coffee. I crossed the room to stand next to him, pleased when he slipped an arm around my shoulder and hugged me; a familiar gesture that reassured me.

“Feeling better?”

“Much. Sorry again, for the kiss, must have been repulsive.”

“Not really. Why is it bothering you so much? Do you regret it?”

“No! No, it’s just…”

“What?”

“I’d been sick, and you…”

“I was far too focussed on the beautiful woman I was kissing to notice anything else.”

I buried my face into his side, feeling it flush at his words. It was the first time anyone had ever called me beautiful.

“I spoke to Hillier, he’s on his way over with Winston.”

“He’s coming here?” I ducked under Tommy’s arm and began to frantically tidy up. Tommy leant against the doorframe and watched me with an amused grin.

“You could help!”

“I don’t think he’s coming to critique your décor.”

“I know that but… Hillier!”

Tommy stalked over and pulled me into his arms. “As much as I am pleased to see you back to being more you, you need to breathe Barbara. You are fine, your flat is fine. Now, sit down and drink your coffee.”

I sat down heavily, nursing the mug of coffee in my hands. He stood behind me, his hands resting on my shoulders.

“When we’ve spoken to Hillier I’m going to take you out to lunch.”

“No!”

“Barbara, we can’t stay here for the rest of our natural lives.”

“I realise that, but someone is threatening to hurt you. They could have done something to the car, or to your house, or they could just be waiting for you to step outside. I don’t want to keep you prisoner, but I also don’t want to lose you. I thought you understood.”

“I do understand, but I won’t hide away. If this person is serious then they’ll try and get to me no matter what happens. We need to find out who is behind this, and then take whatever action is appropriate.”

I put down the coffee and reached up to hold his hand, lacing my fingers through his.

“I know I’m behaving out of character Tommy, but I’m terrified, not for me, I don’t care what happens to me, but for you. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

“I don’t want anything to happen to either of us. We’ll talk to Hillier, see what he thinks, and then we’ll make a decision together.”

As I nodded there was a knock at the door.

“I’ll get it.”

I opened the door cautiously, only fully opening it when I saw Winston and Hillier.

“Come in, please excuse the mess.”

We sat around the kitchen table, Hillier looking at the letters I’d received while Winston took notes.

“Have you any idea who might have sent these to you?”

“No Sir. I thought at first that it was a prank, then that someone was trying to scare me, but when they directly threatened DI Lynley I knew that I couldn’t ignore them any longer. The letters were received over two days; the one threatening DI Lynley was on my mat when I got up this morning.”

“Do you believe that this is a serious threat?”

“I can’t know either way, but with the amount of people that we have helped send to prison over the years it could well be.”

“What do you suggest we do Sir? I know that it isn’t much to go on; do you think we should consider this a credible threat on my life?”

“I don’t think that we can dismiss it completely out of hand Lynley, especially considering who you are, your public profile. I’ve spoken to the CPS, explained what is going on and why you and Havers weren’t able to attend your meeting this morning; is there anything else that can’t be put on hold until we resolve this?”

“No Sir, we were focussing on being ready for the court case.”

“You and Havers should go away for a while, probably not to Cornwall, is there anywhere else you could go?”

“Do we have to stay in this country?”

“As long as I can contact you if I need to.”

“Then I have an idea where we can go. I’ll need to collect my passport from the office. Barbara is concerned that the cars might be tampered with.”

“We can arrange to get your passport to you, and we can provide transport to the station or airport.”

“Airport. Barbara and I are heading to Spain.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimers still apply
> 
> Sorry there was no chapter yesterday: firstly I got distracted by the new series of Car SOS and then I read the first chapter of Cats070911's brilliant new ILM fic "The Heavens Blaze" and fell to pieces... there was no way I could write T&B being happy after that.

We walked along the Marbella seafront, a warm night breeze caressing us as the sea gently lapped the shore. Barbara was snuggled against my side, her arm around my waist, mine around her shoulder. We had been in Spain for just over a week, and if I were honest I didn’t ever want to go back to London. Barbara was different out here, relaxed, affectionate, loving, and not at all bothered by our class differences, which had always concerned her far more than they ever did me; I liked this new version of her. Not having to worry about someone trying to kill me had definitely lightened the mood!

We had been to Da Bruno Sul Mare for a meal. It was much grander than The Banana Tree; a restaurant bar we normally gravitated to at some point during the day, and I had thought that Barbara would object, but instead I had been pleasantly surprised. She had smiled and chatted throughout the whole meal, and we had sneaked food off each other’s plates. Barbara hadn’t appeared to feel uncomfortable or out of place at all. 

“What are you thinking about Tommy? It’s as if you’re a million miles away.”

I stopped and lifted her up onto the low wall that ran along the length of the Paseo Maratimo and the adjoining Avenida Duque de Ahumada, standing between her legs and wrapping both my arms around her. I kissed her deeply before resting my forehead against hers.

“I was thinking about you, about us, about how happy I am.”

“I know, I’m happy too. It’s wonderful out here, there’s a different pace to life, I think I could get used to it.”

I kissed her again, “I’ve been thinking the same.”

“You have? Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Because this is all new for us; because there is possibly someone out there who wants me dead, and because I don’t want to ruin what we have.”

“Am I really that frightening that you can’t even talk to me? We’re in a relationship Tommy, and people in a relationship discuss things. I know that after ten years we have a mental shorthand, but even we need to use words occasionally!”

“Barbara, what I have with you, the love we share, it is what I have been looking for all my life. I don’t want to put that at risk, and if we stay in the Met then we will be doing that. The Met brought us together, and I will always be grateful for that, but I don’t want it to rip us apart. I realise that it is selfish of me, but I can’t sit back and watch you risk your life. I understand now why you were so terrified about someone threatening me. I want something different from life, and whatever that is, I want to share it with you. The next time I speak to Hillier I am resigning.”

“Do you have any ideas about what the something different you want from life is? I can’t see you settling at Howenstow full time.”

“I don’t know if I want to live in the UK full time. Too many people know us, who we are and what we do. Hillier has had no luck tracing the person or persons behind the notes, and even if he does, or they turn out to be a hoax, there is always a chance that someone else who bears one of us a grudge will come crawling out from under a stone.”

“Like Simon Featherstonehaugh?”

“Yes, someone like him. Barbara, if I said that I wanted to live overseas, would you come with me?”

“Where were you thinking?”

“I don’t know, Spain, France, Belgium; the place doesn’t matter as long as we are together and happy.”

“The Costa del Sol is full of ex-cons.” Barbara’s face split open with a massive cheeky grin.

“And probably full of ex-cops too.”

“Well, if it is they could always do with two more added to their number.”

I put my hands on her shoulders, standing back so that I could look her in the eye. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

“Probably.”

“Barbara…”

“You shouldn’t need to ask me Tommy. Remember the dance; you resign, I resign? Wherever you are, that’s where I belong; the details, well we can work them out later.”

Barbara’s arms came around me, her hands sliding under my shirt, one of them stroking the soft skin at the base of my spine. I shivered, holding her tighter, and bent down to kiss her, her lips warm and welcoming. I would never tire of touching her.

“Shall we go back to the apartment?”

“Mmmm. I don’t fancy getting arrested by the Guardia Civil for frolicking on the beach.”

“Hours in the shower removing sand from hard to reach places does have potential.”

“Tommy Lynley! Really!”

“What can I say; you make me feel playful.”

“I can think of plenty of playful things you and I could do and, funnily enough, none of them involve being sandblasted!”

My cheeky grin easily matched hers from earlier, “I can’t wait for you to show me.”

She slid off the wall, grabbing my hand and tugging me along behind her, “you’d better get a move on then. Wouldn’t want you going off the boil.”

I pulled her back to me, sweeping her up into my arms. She laughed, but didn’t fight me. “I will never go off the boil when I am with you, and I intend to spend the rest of the night proving it.”

“Take me home then Tommy, just don’t put your back out in the process.”


	4. Chapter 4

Tommy reached under the bedstead and retrieved his mobile phone from the floor where it had been discarded, along with our clothes, the previous night when we had tumbled into bed, kissing and caressing, moaning with pleasure as we had become lost in each other.

I slid my arms around his waist, pulling him back towards me. “And where do you think you’re going?”

“I need to check in with Hillier.”

I pushed him onto his back and straddled him, running my finger down the centre of his chest until it dipped into his navel.

“Are you sure that you need to do that right this minute?”

Tommy’s hands moved to my hips, his beautiful hands stroking my skin, “the sooner I make the call, the sooner I can turn my attention to more pleasurable things.”

I bent forward, my breasts brushing his chest, “do you promise?”

Just before his lips met mine he whispered, “I promise.”

We broke for air and I slid off his lap, lying on my side, propped up on my elbow, brushing his chest with the tips of my fingers. He recalled Hillier’s number, pressed call, and waited for it to connect.

Twenty minutes later Tommy finally ended the call. I had only heard his side of the conversation, but that had been enough. Hillier had finally discovered who had been behind the threats, and it was the woman who had caused Tommy and Helen’s life to implode; Dr Tessa Jellicoe.

“Tommy? Are you okay?”

“Didn’t that woman take enough from me? She killed my child, her actions nearly cost you your life, and now she wants to kill me. I can’t do this anymore; the cost is too high.”

I cradled his head against my chest, his hot angry tears scalding my flesh.

“You don’t have to Tommy, we decided that last night; we are leaving the Met, and wherever you go I will follow you. From what I could gather from your side of the conversation, the good doctor has admitted everything; she’s invalidated her parole conditions and will be heading straight back to jail. We officially submit our resignations to Hillier and then we plan the rest of our lives, together.”

I continued to hold him as his tears subsided and his breathing evened out to sleep, sifting my fingers through his hair and rocking him. I hated that he was in so much pain, but I would make sure that I was there to support him and help him through it. Whatever he needed from me, I would give it.

I watched him as he slept. It wasn’t peaceful, but then I didn’t expect it to be. I soothed him when he needed it, but most of the time I just lay beside him, hoping that he would be able to sense my presence and take comfort from it.

It was mid-afternoon when he finally woke. I suggested that we head out to The Banana Tree for a pint and some lunch, and was pleased when he seemed keen. We held hands as we strolled barefoot along the water’s edge, our shoes dangling from the fingers of our free hands. We didn’t speak, content in each other’s company. When we reached the bar, we ordered sausage and chips for two and ‘dos cervezas’, which was about the only Spanish I could manage, before settling back to enjoy the sun and watch the world go by.

Once our meals had been consumed we stayed at the bar until early evening, drinking beer, talking and making plans. We agreed that we wanted to find a place in Spain, either in Marbella or further down the coast near Puerto Banus, and that we would start our search the following morning. I would sell my flat, but Tommy would keep the townhouse in Belgravia so that we had a London base, and we would also have Howenstow. 

We strolled back to the apartment, picking up a couple of slices of pizza to consume on the way. Tommy was calmer, he seemed happier now that we had made some firm decisions. I wondered if he had thought that I was just paying him lip service, and that I would leave him on his own as everyone else in his life seemed to have done. Perhaps he would always have doubts, perhaps he would always need reassurance, but I loved him; and if that was the price I would have to pay to love him and be loved by him then I would do so, gladly. 

Through the most unpleasant of circumstances we had discovered how much we loved and needed each other, and I could never be sorry about that.


	5. Chapter 5

I put the tray of drinks down on the table next to the sun loungers and looked across the terrace, shading my eyes so that I could watch Tommy as he swam. I licked my lips, admiring his body, tanned and glistening, as he moved smoothly through the cerulean pool. I untied my sarong, dropping it to the floor, and quietly made my way into the water, resting my back and arms on the side of the pool as I waited for him to notice me. I didn’t have to wait too long.

“Hi.” His voice was soft and welcoming. He stood, pushing a damp lock of hair from his eyes, and moved towards me. He reached for me, resting his hand on the taut skin of my swollen belly. “Feeling better after your nap?”

I slid my arms around his neck, pressing my flesh as close to his as my burgeoning bump would allow. “Much thank you, being pregnant in this heat is not ideal.”

“Would that be why you don’t have any clothes on, not that I’m complaining?”

“Partly, and partly because I am not going to waste time and energy struggling into my maternity swimsuit only for you to take it off me not fifteen minutes later.”

Tommy’s hands caressed my shoulders, before moving down my arms and then across to my breasts. He kissed his way down my neck, his fingers teasing my nipples.

“What can I say,” he breathed against my warm flesh, “seeing you like this, carrying our child, it turns me on, I can’t get enough of you.”

His hands slid under my bottom, hoisting me into his embrace. I locked my legs around him, letting him carry me to the tiled steps. Setting me down gently, he stepped out of his trunks, freeing his erection, and sat next to me, his arms stretched out behind him. I straddled him, rubbing my clit against his rigid cock.

“You’ve never been able to get enough of me, just like I can’t get enough of you. You’ve turned me into the Martini girl!”

“Nothing wrong with any time, any place, anywhere.”

I continued to rub against him, before taking him in hand, helping him to slide home. I closed my eyes, overcome with the emotion of our union, the feeling of completion, of something as close to perfection as I had ever known. It didn’t matter how many times we came together, it always touched my heart and mind in the same powerful way.

Tommy shifted his arms so that he was resting on his elbows, the movement making me look at him. His eyes were hooded, devouring me as I began to move above him, one hand on his knee, the other braced on his chest.

“Christ Barbara, you feel so good. Love you.”

“Love you too.”

“Want to touch you, need to.”

“Then touch me.”

He altered his position again, freeing his hands so that he could reach me, his fingers mapping the contours of my body before dipping down between my legs. One of my hands joined his, and while he manipulated my clit, I fondled his cock as it slipped in and out of me.

“Not going to last, so close.”

The pressure on my clit increased as I rode him harder, my climax drawing close. I threw back my head, crying out his name as I shattered around him; feeling him twitch, his hips driving upwards as he spilled deep inside me.

I slumped forward, my hands resting on his chest so that I didn’t crush him, both of us breathing heavily. Tommy looked contented, and more than a little shagged out!

“Good?”

“It always is; you?”

“Ditto. I did bring out some drinks, although the ice has probably melted by now.”

Tommy sat up, somehow keeping me on his lap, kissing me passionately.

“Who cares about ice when I can have you.”

“You just did, but then I had you too, so I guess we’re quits.”

“Mmmm, I don’t know about that, give me half an hour and I’ll be ready for round two.”

I tapped his nose playfully. “I said you were insatiable.”

He caught my finger, bringing it to his lips and sucking on it. I squirmed, his actions turning me on again. He released my digit, a wicked smile crossing his face.

“I’m only insatiable for you, it’s only ever you.”

I stood and held my hand out, smiling as our fingers laced together.

“Let’s go to bed Tommy.”

As we crossed the terrace and into the villa his eyes met mine; dark, stormy and full of love. His eyes had always been my undoing, one look and I could drown in them. He raised our linked hands to his lips, kissing the back of mine, his gaze never faltering.

"With pleasure."


End file.
